Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Background:
As I was looking through various items on Amazon, I came across a very nice and expensive camera that was listed at $3,000 less than all other postings. The description said the camera was new and never used. The grammar and punctuation were terrible. The description concluded with specifying that all buyers should contact ChiekoLtd@gmail.com before ordering.

Seeing as how this is not normal Amazon behavior and in fact violates their policies, I decided to look up the company online (they appeared reputable and have been around for a while) and contact their support staff directly.

Their staff later responded saying that the listing was in fact due to their Amazon.com account being hacked. The company regained access to their Amazon account and removed the product.

Curiously I used a junk email to contact ChiekoLtd@gmail.com asking about the item and why it was listed with such a large discount. I got the following email in response:

Hello,
I will explain in this email all terms and condition
The [Item Listed] is BRAND NEW, never used, ( US model, not grey market),
but Amazon does not let us list it as new. The product is Sealed in its original box and comes with full Warranty,
receipt, all manufacturer supplied accessories...
The total price is $1,400.00 including all shipping taxes if you are in US and for international shipping you have to
pay extra 29,99 $ (outside US) .
If you want to buy, send me your phone number, full name, shipping address and I will contact Amazon asap to process
your order. Dispatch is by normal UPS Services, which takes 1-3 days depending on where in the US you are.
My return policy is full money back in 30 days.
For more information don't hesitate to contact me!
Many Thanks

As you may notice, the grammar and punctuation continue to be very unprofessional. The English is broken and they can't make up their minds how to write currency amounts. If this was a legitimate sale, Amazon would provide the information the company needed following the purchase through Amazon.com. They would not need to request it by email.

Last, the author if the email failed to provide any kind of professional footer. No name, no position, and no website. Make sure you always keep purchase and communication within the sale platform!